With digital transformation, CIOs are the privileged interlocutors of general management. A way for them to get closer to the CEOs. You still need to know how to frame and maintain this relationship.
We asked the”Pro de la Transfo. “, a community of decision-makers and leaders in business transformation; their tips on how to develop a relationship of trust with CEOs.
Objective: co-create commons around transformation!
Based on their feedback, we co-constructed the list of 10 practices to consider, from the simplest to the most advanced, From build to run !
Thanks to
Disclaimer: There are no “magic” recipes here. Just ingredients, postures and tricks from Pro de la Transfo. Management is an art!
-> Link to the HD version in printable PDF format
Even before your first contact, what are the pragmatic tips for setting up an effective future cooperation framework? Discover 5 practices on this “framing”.
We agree on a precise governance and operation pact. Rather than an exchange on vague and overused concepts “we will do agility” ^^... We establish a mode of operation, we formalize mutual commitments and responsibilities, and we make sure that management is OK with the cultural changes to come. (Rituals, key decision workflow, budgets...)
Your CEO has a new idea! Often collected the same morning in the salmon pages of Le Figaro, Linkedin or Les Echos,... CIO, don't reject everything en masse. Set aside a special budget line each year from the start to launch a few off-road initiatives! Aim for the simplest and most impacting ones. In addition, you are not immune to success!
Truly sharing responsibility for a project or program means avoiding future dissonances and misalignments.
Golden rule: No 1 on 1 on 1 on cross-cutting projects. We share presentations in CODIR, we share dedicated progress points. Ex. you manage the production of the ERP finances, plan to bring in the CFO, 1/4 hour before the end of your 1/1 with the boss.
General Management also has its complexity, Lapalisse would have said! Understanding where they were asked to go, their tactical and strategic challenges communicated or not, their personal road map as well, is not sycophancy, it's good sense of listening and effectiveness.
To understand, you have to ask questions: What is the level of pressure from the Board on this subject? Do you need serious back-up on this subject? Example: “We are very successful on this part of the transformation plan, do you want to speak out in the media”? As you can see, putting yourself in the other person's shoes is a key position. After all we are members of a team, and together we go further!
Transparency by design! Offering continuous access to the progress of a plan, with the right level of granularity, is the key. Suggest the choice of weapons: a permanent link in the browser's favorites, a summary PPT to be found in the mailbox, an emergency Whatsapp line...
All that remains is to optimize the update of your project portfolio with your project managers and partners. But it's definitely worth the effort. Faith as a publisher of governance solutions;)
Is the frame installed? Now the execution phase Get started... we have prepared 5 other practices for you to strengthen your appointments!
There's no ring here... Keep the boxing gloves in the locker room, but Adopt a champion's hygiene before each 1to1! It remains a validated basic. Here it is our checklist to be displayed somewhere in your office:
Indispensable but tricky, small talk, i.e. being able to start a conversation, to hold light discussions, to know how to talk about rain and shine... can easily take 50% of the time! Especially with a CEO who doesn't know much about your topics. Anticipate the relaxed topic of the day and come with the coffees, this will avoid the Rrrrrrrrrhh Rrrrrrrrhh at the beginning of the appointment.
Tech is dry jargonne ! Useful for moving quickly and creating a sense of belonging with your team... This “habit” can backfire. Pedagogy, real communication, the effective 1to1 does not accept a word of jargon during the appointment! Do you talk about user stories with your developers? Do the same with the CEOs.
The top tip: offer the Buzzer jargon With the rule “Is that jargon? You're ringing!” For the first 3-4 dates, that should do it. To be tried in CODIR too, other colleagues like to jargot too.
When it started badly, it got off to a bad start... here are the situations that the Pro. de la Transfo. have experienced and their tactics of getting around to avoid the situation from deteriorating:
The important thing is not the fall, it's the landing! .. 1on1 starts once it's over;) Send your few notes for actions, marking the decisions and ideally, you log in a management tool (airsaas.io for example 🥰) But above all, you are already preparing the next point:
